EU Consortia Block Exemption Regulation

Angry shippers call on EC to review ‘disturbing developments’ in box shipping

European shippers have again renewed calls for the European Commission to review its competition policy regulating the liner sector, as they continue to face equipment shortages, restricted vessel capacity and sky-high freight rates.
Today the European Ceramic Industry Association, Cerame-Unie, which represents members in 20 countries and covers sectors from construction products (bricks) and consumer goods to industrial process and cutting-edge technologies, issued a statement jointly with the...

https://theloadstar.com/angry-shippers-call-on-ec-to-review-disturbing-developments-in-box-shipping/

Shippers and forwarders mull legal bid against alliances to cap soaring rates

The European Commission has said it does not regard the huge container spot rate increases between Asia and Europe as sufficient justification to investigate carriers for an infringement of the Block Exemption Regulation (BER) for consortia.
The European Shippers’ Council (ESC) and European freight forwarder association CLECAT had presented the EC with data relating to the increase in blank sailings, a decrease in reliability “and especially the outrageous price hikes that …

The post Shippers...

https://theloadstar.com/shippers-and-forwarders-mull-legal-bid-against-alliances-to-cap-soaring-rates/

Opponents rally at news that EC consortia BER could be re-evaluated next year

Opponents of the EC’s recent decision to allow the liner shipping industry to continue to enjoy its exemption from antitrust consortia regulation until 2024, will not have to wait long to again voice their opposition.
In response to question from German MEP Tiemo Wolken, competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager (pictured above) defended the decision to renew the Block Exemption Regulation (BER), but revealed that stakeholder comments could be sought as early as …

The post Opponents rally at...

https://theloadstar.com/opponents-rally-at-news-that-ec-consortia-ber-could-be-re-evaluated-next-year/

EC grants liner shipping another four years of consortia exemption

The European Commission has extended the liner shipping industry’s exemption from its antitrust consortia regulation, which will allow container lines to continue the deepsea alliance structure.
Despite repeated calls from liner industry customers and suppliers for the EC’s competition commission to review container carriers’ protection via the Block Exemption Regulation (BER), in place since Europe outlawed the conference system, the commission today decided it would be extended to 25 April...

https://theloadstar.com/ec-grants-liner-shipping-another-four-years-of-consortia-exemption/

Anger from objectors as liner shipping block exemption extension is ‘nodded through’

A forum of shippers, freight forwarders and port service providers have slammed the high-handedness of the EC for including an extension of the consortia block exemption regulation (BER) for liner shipping in its 2020 work programme to the European parliament.
The “done deal” for a four-year BER extension was included in the EC’s communication to the European parliament on 29 January, under Annex 11 item 27, which it justified as continuing …

The post Anger from objectors as liner shipping block...

https://theloadstar.com/anger-from-objectors-as-liner-shipping-block-exemption-extension-is-nodded-through/

Shipping’s customers and suppliers demand EC rethinks BER extension

The liner shipping industry’s block exemption from EU competition law has come under renewed attack from the sector’s customers and suppliers.
A joint submission from freight forwarding association CLECAT, port operator group FEPORT, rail group UIRR, barge operators’ association EBU and shipper representatives Global Shippers Forum and European Shippers Council calls on the EC to reconsider extending the Block Exemption Regulation (BER) until April 2024.
“Not only has the commission largely...

https://theloadstar.com/shippings-customers-and-suppliers-demand-ec-rethinks-ber-extension/

Shippers’ forum puts forward new criteria for EC liner consortia block exemption

As the EC continues to deliberate whether the liner shipping industry should enjoy a further four years of exemption from consortia legislation, the Global Shippers Forum has called on regulators to change how they evaluate alliances and their effect on the market.
The Block Exemption Regulation (BER) container shipping lines have enjoyed since 2014 was set to expire in April and, in the run-up to the deadline, the EC has been …

The post Shippers’ forum puts forward new criteria for EC liner...

https://theloadstar.com/shippers-forum-puts-forward-new-criteria-for-ec-liner-consortia-block-exemption/

Shipper anger at EC extension to shipping consortia block exemption regulation

Shippers have “slammed” the EC’s recent decision to renew the consortia block exemption regulation (CBER) for four years, claiming it ignored the views of exporters and importers.  
The Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) has also called for more “policing” of shipping line activities. 
Noting “continued poor service levels”,  the GSF said there was a “seeming lack of competitive pressures”. 
“Shippers are well used to similar pooling arrangements in the aviation sector, which allow code-sharing to be...

https://theloadstar.com/shipper-anger-at-ec-extension-to-shipping-consortia-block-exemption-regulation/

Study on shipping alliances makes EC exemption decision ‘puzzling’

There is an interesting piece on LinkedIn, questioning why the EC decided to extend the liner shipping block exemption for another four years. The writer, Pablo Rodas-Martini, takes “devastating” excerpts from the study done by the International Transport Forum (ITF) and the OECD titled The Impact of Alliances in Container Shipping.
The paragraphs he highlights are unequivocally damning about alliances, and (when read in isolation), they do indeed make one “puzzled” about …

The post Study on...

https://theloadstar.com/study-on-shipping-alliances-makes-ec-exemption-decision-puzzling/

EC set to extend liner shipping consortia exemption for four years

The European Commission has indicated it is set to extend liner shipping’s consortia exemption from its antitrust regulations.
The Block Exemption Regulation (BER) container shipping lines have enjoyed since April 2014 was set to expire next April, and in the run-up to the deadline, the EC has been holding consultations with industry stakeholders.
In draft regulation paper published yesterday, the EC proposes extending the EU Consortia Block Exemption Regulation until 25 April …

The post EC set...

https://theloadstar.com/ec-set-to-extend-liner-shipping-consortia-exemption-for-a-further-four-years/

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